If you’re going somewhere and you’re off course by just one degree, after one foot, you’ll miss your target by 0.2 inches. I know that seems insignificant, but what about as you get farther out? After 100 yards, you’ll be off by 5.2 feet, which isn’t huge, but noticeable. After a mile, you’d be off by 92.2 feet. As you can see, one small degree is beginning to make a big difference and the need for correction is becoming more apparent.
If you apply this concept on a flight from San Francisco to L.A., you’d be off by 6 miles. If you were trying to get from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., you’d end up on the other side of Baltimore, 42.6 miles away. On a trip around the globe starting in Washington, DC, you’d miss your destination by 435 miles and end up in Boston. In a rocket going to the moon, you’d be 4,169 miles off (nearly twice the diameter of the moon). Going to the sun, you’d miss by over 1.6 million miles (nearly twice the diameter of the sun). Traveling to the nearest star, you’d be off course by over 441 billion miles (120 times the distance from the earth to Pluto, or 4,745 times the distance from Earth to the sun). Over time and over distance, a one-degree error in course makes an enormous difference!
Often we don’t realize how far off track we are until time has magnified the gap between our goal and our present location. It’s difficult to notice a one foot difference but it’s easy to notice a 100 mile difference. The longer we go without making the necessary corrections, the harder it will be to get back on the proper path. On a flight there is a clear destination. In life we have to discover that destination. Only once you know your destination can you begin to identify when, where, or how you went off track. Once you have that knowledge you can begin to make the necessary corrections and realign your life on the path to fulfilling your purpose.
CORRECT AIM
When I say “aim” I mean goal. What’s your focus? Is what you claim your focus to be in line with your daily actions? What is your purpose? What are you doing wrong that needs to be corrected so that you hit the target at which you should be aiming? In the business of life have you lost sight of your why? You might be going through certain obstacles but always focus on what you’re going to. Focus more on the why and less on the what. Is your goal to start a business? There may be many hindrances along the way to producing a successful and thriving business. On the tough days remind yourself of why you saw the business as necessary in the first place. Correct your thinking and you will correct your actions. Your ‘aim’ will be governed by the source of your thoughts. Has someone’s opinion caused you to get off track? Has it been a while since you’ve consulted God? If you haven’t advanced in the fulfillment of your purpose it may be time to do a self-assessment and determine if there is a need for correction.
CORRECT AFFIRMATIONS
Is your language in line with your assignment? Are you speaking things that line up with who you say you are or who you want to one day be? I was recently speaking at a non-profit organization and the leader led the girls through a lengthy but GOOD affirmation that they recited back. In my talk I had the girls each take turns holding a mirror and recite something they liked about themselves or something they are good at while looking at themselves. If you won’t speak life into yourself, who will? Have you been your own worst enemy for too long? Make the correction! Speak what you want to be, instead of who you might currently be. Affirm your destiny instead of negating your present. Correct how you view yourself. Don’t think to high or too low. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
CORRECT AGENDA
What do you do on a daily basis that will actually help you make the necessary corrections? What measures have you put in place so that you don’t have to keep making the same corrections over and over? What parameters have you implemented in order to stay on the proper path? How do you ensure that you won’t end up one degree off track at some point in the future? If we don’t have a plan for the day, the day will have a plan for us. John Maxwell said, “the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.” Some of us need to correct how we use our time. We need to correct what’s on our agenda. Are the items on your to-do list necessary to the completion of your purpose? Recently, I decided not to watch TV for a week in order to focus on editing my next book. When we eliminate or reduce the time we devote to fruitless activities we will then have more time for fruitful endeavors.
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